In Sermon Illustrations: "Material Possessions"

Cargo Cults

Contributed by Craig Sully on Apr 7, 2010

CARGO CULTS First noticed in the late 19th century, the concept of the cargo cult came to prominence in the years immediately following WWII. As the Japanese and American armies began to island hop their way to victory and defeat across the Pacific, they literally took over these small territories ...read more

Tags: Ignorance

Denomination: Pentecostal

Blueprints For Your Children’s Character

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Dec 15, 2020

There is a Minister who received an urgent note that said that a man in his congregation wanted to get a hold of him. The man’s problems have been 10 years in the making but have become urgent when the consequences of neglect suddenly materialized. The minister met the man at his office. He was a ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 22:6, Deuteronomy 7:9

Tags: Children, Parenting, Blueprints

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Let Me Share With You This Story About The ...

Contributed by Christian Cheong on Nov 9, 2006

Let me share with you this story about The Pencil: The Pencil Maker took the pencil aside, just before putting him into the box. There are five things you need to know, he told the pencil, before I send you out into the world. Always remember them and never forget, and you will become the best ...read more

Denomination: Independent/Bible

One Time Jesus Mentioned To His Disciples That ...

Contributed by Davon Huss on Jan 2, 2007

One time Jesus mentioned to his disciples that the temple and the other buildings in Jerusalem would be destroyed. The disciples asked Jesus when this would happen. He doesn’t give them a straight answer but one statement he says is: (Mark 13:15 NIV) Let no one on the roof of his house go down ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

God's Time  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 10, 2002

GOD'S TIME There is a new pastor in Atlanta named Mason Betha. He recently celebrated his one year anniversary pasturing a church of about 100. But Reverend Mason hasn’t always been a pastor. He was formerly known as the rapper Ma$e, “the flashiest and most pleasure driven performer on… ...read more

Tags: Repentance, Finding Fulfillment, Faith

Two Years Before My Father Died, My Parents Once ...  PRO

Contributed by Rodney Buchanan on Jul 28, 2002

Two years before my father died, my parents once again opened the box containing all the love letters which they had written each other while my father was away during World War II in the Army Air Corps. They decided that each evening they would open the box and read each other a letter they had ...read more

Tags: Bible Influence, Apologetics The Bible

Denomination: Methodist

The Real Miracle

Contributed by Richard Goble on Nov 2, 2007

The Real Miracle Meaning no disrespect to the religious convictions of others, I still can’t help wondering how we can explain away what to me is the greatest miracle of all and which is recorded in history. No one denies there was such a man, that he lived and that he was put to death by ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

"Encouraging" The New Members

Contributed by Richard Goble on Nov 25, 2007

“Encouraging” The New Members “Bill and Sue” had recently moved into the city, and had been visiting our church for several weeks. They made friends quickly, and possessed a variety of gifts and talents that would enhance the ministries of our church. Within a short time they decided that God would ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Give The Spirit More Of You

Contributed by Davon Huss on Feb 13, 2012

GIVE THE SPIRIT MORE OF YOU R.A. Torrey: "It is of the highest importance from the practical standpoint that we decide whether the Holy Spirit is merely some mysterious and wonderful power that we in our weakness and ignorance are somehow to get hold of and use, or whether the Holy Spirit is a ...read more

Tags: Holy Spirit In Believers

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Feeling God

Contributed by Antonio Silveira on Mar 4, 2012

FEELING GOD When we try to measure time or weight or temperature or speed or any of a hundred other things, we normally rely on instrumentation. But we can try to tell the time by using our feelings, such as how hungry or tired we feel, and our senses, such as how light it seems, is crudely ...read more

Tags: Time

Denomination: Baptist

Washington Monument Setbacks

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 18, 2012

WASHINGTON MONUMENT SETBACKS In the pursuit of our dreams, there are often setbacks along the way. In 1836, the fledgling Washington National Monument Society announced that they had chosen Robert Mills' plans for the construction of a monument to our nation's first president. Mills had slaved ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:1-13

Tags: Endurance

But Let's Take A Little Reality Check And Think ...

Contributed by Bruce Emmert on Oct 27, 2008

But let’s take a little reality check and think for a minute about how our society has changed over the last twenty-five or so years in terms of how we think about money and possessions, about what we need and what we want. Before Melissa and I got married we took a pre-marital course with our ...read more

Tags: Money

Denomination: United Methodist

Why Did God Become A Man?  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 28, 2008

WHY DID GOD BECOME A MAN? Why would the Son of God want to become human? What would possess Him to leave His eternal home to enter this world plagued by pain and sorrow? Why would He give up the worship of angels to endure abuse at the hands of sinful man? Why did God become a man? Max Lucado in ...read more

Tags: Christmas

Common-Ism In The Church  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 16, 2009

COMMON-ISM IN THE CHURCH Years ago I ran across this following definition of the various forms of government. They compared capitalism (the economic model we try to follow in our country) with communism and socialism, and they used a simple illustration to drive their point home. In a capitalist ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:42-48

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

First The Stones; Then The Mountain!" 1 ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Apr 26, 2005

“First The Stones; Then The Mountain!” 1 Corinthians 9:24-28 Key verse(s) 6:“Therefore I do not run as a man aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air.” One thing I have learned is that one of the primary reasons for accepting defeat too soon is that some of us, myself included, tend to ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 9:24-28

Tags: Endurance, Faith

Denomination: Lutheran

The ‘holy Grail' Of Super Glues!" John 17:1-5 ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on May 15, 2005

“The ‘Holy Grail’ of Super Glues!” John 17:1-5 Key verse(s) 4:“I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do.” It takes a special hand to deal with glue! Some are born to handle the sticky and others not. I am one of the latter lot. While, like most men, I find the ...read more

Scripture: John 17:1-5, Ephesians 4:1-6

Tags: Holy Spirit Attributes, Holy Spirit In Believers

Denomination: Lutheran

His Last Thoughts Were Of His Children

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 4, 2010

HIS LAST THOUGHTS WERE OF HIS CHILDREN A Union sergeant was killed on the first day of fighting in Gettysburg. He was just one of more than 3,000 Union soldiers who died in the three-day conflict. When his body was found later that week, lying in a secluded spot in Gettysburg, he was holding a ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 3:1-2

Tags: Love, Father's Day

Mrs. Thomas Works For An "Ear Doctor". She Told ...  PRO

Contributed by Russell Brownworth on Jun 15, 2001

Mrs. Thomas works for an "ear doctor". She told us about one man who she had called to advise that his hearing aid had come in. The man was so happy, he jubilantly thanked Mrs. Thomas, saying, Oh thank you, I appreciate that...I love you, bye. Later that day the man’s wife called Mrs. Thomas to ...read more

Tags: What Is Evangelism?, Love

Denomination: United Methodist

The Lights Of Home  PRO

Contributed by Frank Ellis on Apr 15, 2002

THE LIGHTS OF HOME In his memoirs, Chronicles of Wasted Time, Malcolm Muggeridge tells of events that took place in Africa in 1943. He was forty years old but his experience of those four decades had been of progressive disillusionment. After Cambridge he spent three years in India, which ...read more

Tags: God's Omniscience, Becoming A Christian

Denomination: Baptist

A Possible Method Of Evangelism  PRO

Contributed by Howard Parnell on Sep 20, 2002

A POSSIBLE METHOD OF EVANGELISM A Christian man owned a barber shop. One night, at a revival meeting, the barber felt greatly burdened to do more with his testimony for Christ. The next evening, the barber began attending a "soul winners class" at his church. He attended faithfully every night ...read more

Tags: What Is Evangelism?, Sharing Your Faith, Great Commission

Denomination: Baptist